Actor Michael K. Williams’ cause of death has been determined to be a fatal drug overdose. The New York City medical examiner office ruled that Williams, 54, died from “acute intoxication by the combined effects of fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.” The local police have also ruled his death an accident.
This news comes a little over two weeks after the beloved actor was found dead in his Brooklyn penthouse apartment with drug paraphernalia at the scene.
The Brooklyn native was transparent about his struggle with drugs over the years, as he developed a substance abuse problem at 19 years old. Upon rising to fame as Omar in “The Wire,” Williams began using cocaine to cope with the character’s intense traits.
In 2012, he got clean and credited a pastor at Christian Love Baptist Church in New Jersey for helping him reach that milestone. As drug addiction is a constant battle, the actor opened up in a 2017 interview with The New York Times saying, “Addiction doesn’t go away. It’s an everyday struggle for me, but I’m fighting.”
Williams has received an outpouring of love from fans and his friends in entertainment with touching tributes circulating since his untimely passing.
Just last week Sunday, Sept. 19, the Baltimore Ravens paid homage to his iconic character Omar by blasting a whistled version of “The Farmer in the Dell,” ahead of the game.
